greenfield



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. T GREENFIELD.

ELECTRICAL FIXTURE.

Patented Sept. 15, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVIN GREENFIELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE INTERIOR OONDUITAND INSULATION COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRICAL FIXTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,704, datedSeptember 15, 1891.

Application filed December 31, 1890. Serial No. 376,326x (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern; on line 5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. (3 is a detailview Be it known that I, EDWIN T. GREENFIELD, showing the manner inwhich I prepare my a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Newimproved fusible cut-out. Fig. 7 is a plan York, county of New York, andState of New view of the cut-out as finally prepared. Fig.

5 York, have made a new and useful Improve- S is an enlarged sectionalview of my im- 55 ment in Electrical Fixtures, applicable genproved plugwith cut-out attached. Fig. 9 is erally in the art where it is desiredto make an enlargedperspective view of the completed electricalconnections with branch circuits to cut-out plug. Fig. 10 is a sectionalview of translating devices, such as electric lights, the ceiling-blockcomplete, taken 011 line 10 re electric motors, and kindred apparatus,of 10, Fig. 12. Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional 60 which the followingis a specification. View 011 line 11 11, Fig. 12, of the upper por- Myinvention is directed particularly to imtion of the block, showing themanner of m ak' provements in switch or ceiling blocks which ing thesame. Fig. 12 a plan View as seen are used in the art for connectingelectric looking at Fig. 10 from below, with the lower I 5 lights andkindred translating devices to block Bremoved. Fig. 13 is a sectionalview 65 branch mains running into buildings and of the upper portion ofthe block, taken on similar places; and it has for its objects,first,line 13 13, Fig. 14, showing my improved the simplification andcheapening of this type binding-screw attachments. Fig. 14 is a view ofdevices; second, the rendering of the same of the upper portion of theblock, as seen in more permanentorsecurein theirconnections, looking atFig. 13 from theunder side. Fig. 70 thereby insuring more perfectconductivity 15 is a side elevational view as seen looking of thecurrent; third, the making of the same at Fig. let from left to right.in as few pieces as possible, which shall be Referring now to thedrawings in detail, A permanently secured together and preparedrepresents the ceiling to which the block is 2 5 for the trade as anarticle of manufacture attached by one or more screws N. 75 fourth,thepreparation of acheap, simple, and B constitutes the base or supportingporeflicient fusible cut-out, which shall constitute tion of the block,made preferably of porcea part of the fixture, and which is adapted tolain, vegetable fiber, or some equivalent nonbe easily put in positionand removed withcombustible non-conducting material. This out the aid ofscrews and other superfluous base is cast with an indenture or hollowpor- 80 parts. I accomplish these several objects by tion and aprojecting portion D, and is prothe construction and use of the devicesherevided with dovetailed grooves V on opposite inafter described, butparticularly pointed sides of the projection D and similar doveout inthe claims, which follow this specificatailed grooves in the base, asclearly shown tion. in Figs. 1, 10, ll, and 12, said grooves being 85 Myinvention will be fully understood by adapted to receive the cast-metalconducting referring to the accompanying drawings, in parts E,screw-threaded on their lower ends which at 25. These cast-metalconducting parts are Figure 1 represents a sectional view of one madepreferably of lead, but may be of any portion of my ceiling-block asattached to the material which will readily set in position. in 0ceiling, said section being taken on line 1 1, the baseblocks B whenplaced in the mold Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 forcasting. is a sectional view on line 2 2, Fig. 2, showing B representsthe removable portion of the the application of the block or attachmentin block, and is provided with a pair of conconnection with tubes orconduits designed ducting parts E similar to the parts E, and 5 for usewhere it is desired to take off branch cast in position in dovetailedgrooves in the circuits from conductors located in such tubes samemanner as are the parts E. These two or conduits. Fig. e is a plan viewof the lower sets of conducting parts are arranged, as will or removableportion of .the ceiling-block. be readily understood, on opposite sidesof Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the same, taken their respectivebase-blocks, and are of such IOO Width as to inclose each less thanone-quarter of the entire circumference, so that when the two blocks arescrewed together by means of the screw-threads t and 16 there will be nodanger of a short circuit between the conducting parts E E and E E.insulated space around the entire circumference of the twoscrew-threaded portions is greater on each portion of the block than theconducting portions embraced in the parts E E and E E. The upper portionof the block is provided with binding-screws s s for branch conductors,and the lower portion is provided with similar binding-screws s s forthe conductors running to the lamp (not shown) through the apertures IIand Il. One of the binding-screws s is attached to one of the fixedembedded conducting parts E, and the other of said binding-screws s isattached to an independent fixed part E also embedded in the block 15 ata suflicient distance from one of the conducting parts E to admit of theinsertion of the plug P in the opening between the ends of saidconductingparts, as shown in Fig. 4c.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the upper portion of the block as applicable to asystem of conduit-tubes, where the conductors are carried through pipesor conduits O G and enter the block through the openings G G.

In Fig. 10 the entire ceiling-block is shown in position, the currententering through the left-hand binding-screw s, passing thence by themetal plate E through the screw-thread t to the lower correspondingmetal plate E, thence outward through the conductor, passingto the lampsuspended by the usual insulated conductor through the aperture II,(said lamp and conductor not being shown,) the return circuit passingback by way of the plate E, screw-thread i, conducting-plate E, andbinding-screw 8, out to the main.

In Figs. 13, 14, and 15 I have shown my improved form of binding-screw,which consists of a simple screw threaded into the metallic base andprovided with a protecting shield or sleeve m, adapted to surround theconductor to when it is looped in place, and to insure good contactwithout any liability of the loop becoming detached by side movement.This sleeve is slitted at its opposite sides, as clearly shown in Fig.14, and affords a simple and efficient means of securing the conductors.

Fig. 6 illustrates the manner in which I prepare my improved form offusible cut-out. I take a piece of fusible wire F and prepare twometallic end plates k, of conducting material, having serrated edges 6.These serrated edges are then folded over the ends of the fusible wire Fand firmly secured thereto by a pair of pliers or With a hammer, the endserrations e being left extended, as shown in Fig. 7. After havingprepared a number of these I more firmly secure the end pieces 7t to thefusible wire F by subjecting these parts to an electroplatingbath.Aftera suffi- In other words, the

cient deposit of the desired metal has been effected in this manner Iprepare a plug P of yielding material, such as cork, and slit itsopposite edges, as clearly shown In Figs. 8 and 9, after which I placethe fusible wire F in the position shown in Fig. 8, and carefully securethe plates Z: to the sides of the cork or plug by forcing the serrationsor points einto the position shown. By this arrangement I devise a plugwhich is cheap, simple, and efficient, and maybe placed in position, asshown in Fig. at, with the metallic plates '7; in contact with theconducting portions E. This plug P is driven firmly home, and when thefusible wire F is ruptured by an abnormal current a new fuse may bequickly put in position without the aid of screws or other superfluousappliances.

The entire operation of the apparatus will be readily understood bythose skilledin the art without further description.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, a ceiling-block made of insulatingmaterial, havin the conducting parts cast into non-conduct ing parts,substantially as described.

2. A ceiling or switch block made in two parts, each having a pair ofconducting parts cast into non-conducting supports and provided withmeans for electrically uniting the conducting parts, substantially asdescribed.

3. A ceiling-block consisting of a basebloclc adapted to be fixedlysecured to the ceiling or elsewhere, and a detachable block, incombination with two pairs of conducting parts, one for each block, saidconducting parts being cast into the body of the blocks, substantiallyas described.

r. A two-part ceiling-block having two sets of conducting parts, one foreach block, said conducting parts being cast into nonconducting basesorsupports, substantially as described.

5. A ceiling-block made of non-conducting material, provided with adepression and a depending neck or portion, as D, in combination with apair of conducting parts em bedded in said depression and dependingneck,and a detachable female portion provided with corresponding con ductingparts similarly embedded, substantially as described.

(5. A ceiling-block made of two parts of insulating material, havingeach a pair of conducting parts cast therein, said parts beingscrew-threaded together, substantially as described.

7. A ceiling-block made up of two pieces of non-conducting material,each having a pair of conducting parts cast in position, one piece andits conducting part having a male screw-threaded extension and the othera corresponding female depression, substantially as described.

8. A ceiling-block consisting of a fixed and a removable part, each madeof insulatin g material, in combination with conducting parts F, havingenlarged ends 7c folded over the embedded in dovetailed grooves in saidinends of the fusible part and provided with sulating material,substantially as described. projections e c, said cut-out beingembedded9. A cut-out consisting of a fusible conin a slitted cork or plug,substantially as deductor provided with enlarged ends made of scribed.

conductin material folded over the ends of 1 ELD- ,thefusible part andelectroplated thereto and IN GREENFI embedded in a slitted cork,substantially as Vitnesses:

described.

10. A cut-out consisting of a fusible part A. V. I-IINEY, C. J. KINTNER.

